Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano: UFC Passed on Fight Now Headed to Netflix

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey’s highly anticipated return to mixed martial arts will seize place on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, but not under the UFC banner. The bout, against fellow MMA pioneer Gina Carano, will be streamed live on Netflix, marking the platform’s first foray into live MMA broadcasting.

The unusual path to this matchup was revealed Tuesday by Rousey in an interview with ESPN MMA (h/t WrestlingNews.co for the transcription), where she disclosed that she had approached the UFC about hosting the fight. “It didn’t exactly operate out with the UFC, but it led us here today,” Rousey said. She did not elaborate on the specifics of the UFC’s decision, or whether the refusal came from UFC President Dana White or the broader TKO Group Holdings leadership.

The fight, a featherweight contest at 145 pounds, is being promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). The event will be professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA, with five 5-minute rounds and 4-ounce gloves, contested inside a hexagon cage, according to a press release from Netflix.

Rousey, 39, last competed in December 2016, while Carano, 43, has not fought professionally since 2009. The matchup has been in development for over a year, driven by Rousey’s desire to see Carano return to the cage. “We fought for this. We fought to fight each other,” Rousey stated. “I owe her immensely.” Carano echoed the sentiment in a statement reported by ESPN, saying Rousey was the only opponent who could draw her back into competition.

The history between the two fighters includes a previously attempted bout that fell apart years ago, reportedly due to a miscommunication involving text messages sent to Carano. The current agreement with Netflix represents a significant shift in the landscape of combat sports broadcasting, with a major streaming platform entering the live MMA market.

Tickets for the event will go on sale March 5. A press conference is scheduled for the same date, according to Netflix. The fight is expected to draw significant attention, given the legacies of both competitors and the novelty of a live MMA event on Netflix.

Carano, a trailblazer in women’s MMA, competed professionally until 2009, four years before women’s MMA was integrated into the UFC. Rousey became the UFC’s first female fighter and bantamweight champion and was the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, according to the Los Angeles Times.